Fragments
by Vicky-V
Summary: Jounouchi breaks something special to Anzu. Jounouchi and Anzu friendship oneshot. Set during Season 0.


**Characters:** Jounouchi and Anzu main.

**Word Count:** 1,950

**Notes:** Set during Season 0. Written for just a quick bit of fun. And because Anzu wouldn't hold a grudge for long anyway.

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing in connection with YuGiOh, nor do I make any money writing this fanfiction.

--

**Fragments**

They had been horsing around, just as they always did, and laughing. Somehow playful banter had turned into a little wrestling match between Honda and Jounouchi, which ended with Jounouchi stumbling back and thumping against a chest of drawers which had some shelves attached.

When he looked back on it later, Jounouchi would remember the ballerina doll falling slowly; her right leg stretched out, her arms arched above her head, her painted blonde hair styled in a bun and her tiny red lips smiling.

Then, all of a sudden, the doll was spread across the floor in many different sized pieces. The sound of smashing porcelain echoed in his mind, sounding worse each and every time. But that was nothing compared to when he looked up and saw the horrified expression upon Anzu's face. Through the corners of his eyes he could see Miho and Yugi behind her, reaching out unsure hands but staying back, and Honda near his side.

Anzu's eyes filled with tears and Jounouchi felt his voice scratch painfully against his throat as he said, "Anzu I -I'm- really sorry."

Her bottom lip quivered, even when she bit it hard and tears continued to swim in her eyes.

"Anzu?"

"Just-" Her voice sounded weak, strained and not how it should be at all. "Just get out Jounouchi!"

"Anzu, I'm sorry."

"I said leave!"

Then the tears came, streaming down her face as though they would never stop as Anzu sank to her knees and gathered up the larger parts of the shattered doll's chest which was painted with a pink costume.

"Anzu-"

Jounouchi's attempts were stopped as Honda's hand lay heavily upon her shoulder.

"We should go," he said quietly in his ear.

Jounouchi opened his mouth, wanting to protest. Instead he found himself moving forward, stepping carefully over the fragments of the broken doll as he made his way to the door. As they passed Yugi, he turned as well to leave with them. At any other time Jounouchi might look to Yugi in a situation like this. But he saw how downcast his eyes were and how heavy his expression was and couldn't bear it.

As the door to Anzu's bedroom swung shut behind them and they made their way down the stairs to put on their shoes, take their bags and leave, he heard Anzu crying and Miho as she tried to comfort her.

xxx

At school the next morning it was clear that Anzu didn't want to talk to Jounouchi at all. Where she may have gathered around one of their desks and wished him a good morning, she instead stormed straight to hers without so much as a quick glance in his direction, purposely going the long way around the desks so she may completely avoid him. Miho followed her, sparing Jounouchi a nervous and apologetic glance before accompanying Anzu to her desk.

Although he didn't look at him, Jounouchi managed to spot how sore and puffy her eyes looked and knew she had been crying a lot. Something cold and icy stabbed at his gut.

"Man, she really hates me," he muttered, looking down at his lap.

"She's really upset about that doll," Honda said.

Yugi just nodded. His eyes were also swollen and tired and looking at him only reminded Jounouchi about how miserable and guilty he felt.

xxx

The cold shoulder continued during the next day. Anzu's eyes looked better, but she continued to pass Jounouchi quickly without looking at him and avoiding touching him, no matter how crowded the corridors were. She refused to sit with him during lunch anymore, going over to a table on the other side of the hall, and was quick to gather her things and leave at the end of the day.

Miho stayed beside her and every now and again Yugi went over to speak to Anzu. She brightened up when he did and appeared to be speaking to him as though it was just a normal day. Yugi smiled when he spoke to her too.

After lunch, Honda plucked up the courage to go and speak to her as well and was met with the same warm smile and words pretending that everything was fine. Jounouchi didn't ask what they had been speaking about because he was sure he hadn't been mentioned or the subject had been quickly changed if he was.

He wanted to go over and talk to her as well because maybe everything really _was_ okay again. But then he would see how she was looking everywhere but in his direction and the sad look her smile tried to hide and knew better. Jounouchi kept mentally rehearsing what he might say, counting to three in his head, telling himself that he was going to get up and go to talk to her right... _now!_

But he never did.

xxx

At the end of the day, he managed to spot Miho coming out of the school doors and down the steps. Anzu wasn't with her, so he asked if he might speak with her for a few moments by herself.

"Please?"

Miho looked behind her and Jounouchi suspected it was to see if Anzu was nearby. But she wasn't so Miho nodded.

"Okay, but just for a few minutes. Anzu-chan is coming back to my house for a bit. Miho-chan has a book she wants to borrow."

"Thank you." Jounouchi smiled.

They went around to the side of the school where there was a small strip of playground between the wall and the fence. It was usually where the younger children gathered to play games with cards, yoyos and whatever else the coolest new toys happened to be. Rumour speculated this was also where some kids went to smoke when they were skipping class, but Jounouchi had never seen any proof of that.

"It was that doll you broke," said Miho when Jounouchi asked her if she knew of anything he could do to make things right with Anzu. "It really upset Anzu-chan."

"I had a feeling," said Jounouchi. "But it was an accident. I didn't _mean_ to break the doll. Surely she knows that."

"It's not just a doll. Anzu-chan's mother gave it to her when she was a little girl. It was that doll which first made her want to dance so much. It was her treasure."

_Her treasure._

Jounouchi felt as though his stomach had turned into a rock. Then, all of a sudden, he knew what to do.

"Thank you, Miho-chan," he said, clapping a hand upon her shoulder. "I've got an idea and it's going to make things right."

"I hope so," said Miho. "Miho-chan likes it better when we're all together."

Then Anzu called. "Hey, Miho-chan, where are you? I need that book from you, remember?"

"Coming," Miho called back, then she turned again to Jounouchi. "Good luck, Jounouchi-kun."

She rushed back out into the school yard, towards Anzu's voice. Jounouchi remained where he was for a moment, gazing at the ground as he figured out the rough details of his plan before he walked out too.

"Wha-" Honda passed at that moment and looked, bug-eyed, from Jounouchi, to Miho, who was walking towards the school gates, and back again. "What were you doing back there with Miho-chan?"

"Not now," Jounouchi said as he broke out into a run, also heading towards the school gates. "I've gotta do something important," he called over his shoulder.

Honda stared after him, only moving again when he noticed how Jounouchi didn't turn in the same direction Miho had.

xxx

"Jounouchi-kun isn't here today," Miho said the next day, looking over to where they would usually sit for lunch. Yugi and Honda were there as usual, bent over new packs of Duel Monster cards they had brought on the way to school.

"Who cares about that?" Anzu said and sipped forcefully at the straw in her carton of orange juice.

Miho looked at her sadly. "You do, Anzu-chan."

Anzu couldn't answer.

xxx

That evening, when Anzu went to answer a knock at her door, she found herself with a faceful of porcelain, glue and sellotape that Jounouchi thrust forward.

"Before you get all mad and slam the door in my face, let me say this," Jounouchi said quickly. "I'm sorry, okay. I'm sorry I broke your doll. I didn't know how much it meant to you. If I did I would have been more careful. You know that."

Through Jounouchi's babbling, Anzu came to realise that the thing being held in her face was her old doll. Strips of sellotape and carefully-applied glue had been used to put all the pieces back together and hold them there.

She reached out a shaking hand and gently took the doll from him. Jounouchi stopped talking and watched her carefully. But he couldn't tell whether she was about to yell and hit him or not, so could do nothing but trust that his luck would improve.

"How..." Anzu finally said in a small voice. "How did you do this?"

"Well, first off don't get mad, but last night I came down here and went through your garbage."

"You what?"

"I said don't get mad. I found all the pieces in a plastic bag, so I didn't go through that much. And I wasn't at school today because I spent most of it and last night sticking this thing back together. Because if I've gotta get into trouble by skipping school and sitting in my dad's apartment for hours fixing a doll instead so you'll be friends with me again, then I'll do it."

There was a silent moment between them as Anzu continued to gaze at the doll. It didn't look nearly as pretty as it had with Jounouchi's sellotape and glue job. Instead it had taken on a completely new sort of beauty that she couldn't quite put a name to.

Jounouchi felt his heart sink as Anzu pressed the doll to her chest and began to sob. He wasn't very good with crying girls, but it was even worse considering he had been trying to cheer Anzu up.

"I ... I'm sorry. I just ... thought it would make you happy."

"I am happy." As Anzu raised her head, Jounouchi could see the smile which had spread across her face. Next thing he knew she had flung her arms around his shoulders and was crying into his neck. Jounouchi _really_ hoped it _was_ because she was happy because otherwise he had absolutely no idea what to do. "Thank you, Jounouchi. Thank you so much."

"No-no problem," he said, feeling somewhat awkward with the current situation. "I'm forgiven, right?"

"Of course," she said, detaching herself from Jounouchi and gazing down happily at the fixed doll. "And I'm-I'm sorry for how I was as well."

"Ah, don't worry about it. I just, well, I didn't realise how much that doll meant to you."

"I think it's even better now."

"You think?" Jounouchi said, looking down at it as he tried to figure out if she was joking or not. "Well, it's not as pretty as it was, but it was the best I could do."

"That's why it's better," Anzu said. "Because you fixed it for me."

"Ah-" Jounouchi rubbed the back of his head as he shifted nervously. He had the horrible consuming feeling he wasn't very good at this. "That-that's good."

"Hey, do you guys want to come over next weekend?" Anzu asked. "We could go to see that new movie and then come back to my place if you want."

"Oh, well, sure, if you are."

"Of course," Anzu smiled. "I'll rearrange a few things."

Jounouchi smiled. "And I'll be more careful."

_**END**_


End file.
